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New exhibition! "The Great Minds Collection"

Contemporary American artist Robin Morris (b. 1953) is best known for her "New Deco" style of artwork that has captivated many throughout her career. Fairfield University presents a special series of her works, "The Great Minds Collection" on view in the Leitao Entrance Lobby of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts from April 4, 2014, through June 20, 2014. There will be an opening reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 4, 2014, in the Quick Center that is free and open to the public. As part of the Quick Center's ongoing effort to collaborate with the greater campus community, several works from "The Great Minds Collection" will also be displayed in additional locations throughout the Fairfield University campus, including the Dolan School of Business, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, Bannow Science Center, Donnarumma Hall, Canisius Hall, and the Barone Campus Center.

"The Great Minds Collection" consists of a series of thirty-three stylized, large-scale acrylic-on-canvas portraits representing individuals whose strength of mind, sense of purpose, and character have contributed to art, philosophy, religion, science, literature, music, and political leadership in world history. All the works in the exhibition are drawn from the collection of Dick and Jane Resnick, from Trumbull, CT. The Resnicks met the artist at an exhibition in her hometown of Miami, Florida, and became enthralled with Morris' bold, stylized, colorful, massive portraits. It was a style of portraiture unlike anything they had ever experienced, and they both knew they wanted to see more. It was then that a "great" idea was born, and "The Great Minds Collection" became a collaborative project between Robin Morris and the Resnicks.

When a new addition is proposed to the collection, the group collectively works to research the person to see if they meet the criteria for the collection. The current collection includes portraits of Nelson Mandela, William Shakespeare, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Isaac Newton, and the subjects were, as Dick Resnick describes: "Chosen for both their words and deeds, their thoughts and action." He further defines a "great mind" as someone who has "changed the way humans think, what we think, or even how we think, and their contributions remain relevant today." Also on display accompanying each portrait is a biography written by Jane Resnick that describes the person's accomplishments, contributions to their field, and their personal lives. Jane describes her process as: "Searching for something about their humanity and personality [because] that's how people relate to people, they don't want to know just what Mozart wrote, they want to know what he was like." The fully-illustrated four-color catalogue of "The Great Minds Collection" will be available for purchase at the Quick Center for the Arts with proceeds benefitting its ongoing arts programming.

Robin Morris is a painter and fine artist who has had many of her works featured by Radio City Music Hall, Coca-Cola, and Bloomingdale's. Morris's works have been included in the permanent collections of several museums and has earned her international recognition. From shirts and jackets to paintings and portraits, Morris's works have enchanted audiences everywhere, growing her fan base and keeping patrons coming back for more.

The Regina A. Quick Center Leitao Entrance Lobby is free and open to the public.

Hours: Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to curtain and during intermissions at all Quick Center events. A walking tour map of the full exhibition will be available at the Quick Center with additional information about the locations and viewing hours. The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Fairfield University at 1073 North Benson Road in Fairfield, Connecticut. Entrance to the Quick Center is through the Barlow Road gate at 200 Barlow Road. Free, secure parking is available. Access for people with disabilities is available throughout the Quick Center. Fairfield University is located off exit 22 of Interstate-95. For further information and directions, call (203) 254-4010 or 1-877-278-7396, or visit www.fairfield.edu/quick.